Rayk Behrendt

Prof. Dr. Rayk Behrendt is a Professor at the University of Bonn's Institut für klinische Chemie und klinische Pharmakologie. His research focuses on innate immunity mechanisms, particularly nucleic acid sensing pathways like cGAS/STING, and their roles in inflammation, genome stability, and autoimmune diseases. He investigates how endogenous retroelements regulate immune responses in health and disease.

Research interests center on:

• Pattern recognition receptors and nucleic acid sensing
• Inflammatory pathways in sterile and infectious diseases
• Therapeutic targeting of STING pathway components
• Retroelement immunobiology and genome surveillance

Publications demonstrate consistent focus on immunopathology mechanisms, with recent work exploring therapeutic interventions targeting nucleic acid sensors. Research trends indicate strong emphasis on tumor microenvironment modulation, hematopoietic cell regulation, and innovative immunotherapy approaches.

Laboratory activities include interdisciplinary collaborations on immune signaling pathways, with ongoing projects examining innate immunity in cancer, autoimmunity, and viral infections.